Job Interview Etiquette

The Job Interview Skills That Will Get You Hired

Present a positive personal image

During the job interview, countless moments will come up when etiquette is required. Getting them right gives you a confidence visible to your interviewer.

Enunciate, as well as animate, your language. An interviewer shouldn't have to ask you to repeat yourself, or wonder if they heard you right.

Look the interviewer in the eye. It's a trusting gesture to which people always respond positively. Anything else is simply rude.

Use engaging, non-threatening body language. Good posture alone can convey your interest in being there, while slouching conveys disrespect and indifference.

Use your interviewer's name, but in moderation. It proves you're involved and listening. It also helps establish rapport, which goes a long way in making for a successful interview.

Thank them "twice"

At the end of the interview, when you will invariably thank your interviewer, make sure to thank them both for their time as well as for your own opportunity. Much like arriving on time, thanking them in this way sends a message that you understand and appreciate the value of one's time.

Don't consider the interview completely over until, that evening, you have written a short thank you note. Keep it short. E-mail is acceptable but snail mail is preferred. Since this is a business communication, it shouldn't be handwritten.

3 definite "don'ts"

Don't get caught unprepared

Learning as much as you can about the company and about the position for which you're applying is a sign of respect. As simple as it sounds, don't forget that your interviewer works for this company; it's a big part of this person's life. Therefore, a modest but competent display of your commitment to this interview through prior research makes you look good while flattering them at the same time.

Don't disparage past employers

If you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything. It's disrespectful to take shots at former employers and companies (in part because they're not around to defend themselves), and doing so can seem cheap and offensive to others.

Furthermore, the interview is about you and about this company, and how you fit together; don't leave your interviewer with descriptions of former bosses and coworkers who have nothing to do with it.

Don't lie — about anything

For all the many reasons not to lie or to wildly embellish anything, remember that a gentleman never lies. He doesn't need to.

the bottom line

In their many publications over the years, the Post family (they who man the Emily Post Institute of etiquette) have pointed out that, all told, good manners actually tend to go unnoticed. What's noticed is their result: a smooth and enjoyable social connection between people.

What's impossible to miss, however, is the lack of etiquette. In this case, you want to leave the interviewer thinking about how friendly, intelligent and engaging you are — not how obnoxious you are, what a ridiculously painful handshake you give or what you were thinking when you put on your dirtiest jeans before leaving the house.